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FireSwarm, the City of Kelowna at YLW Kelowna International Airport, and Okanagan College are collaborating to establish Kelowna as Canada’s Western hub for aerospace and drone innovation – bringing together industry, education, government and technology to build a safer, future-ready city and generate new economic opportunity
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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FireSwarm Solutions is excited to announce new partnerships with the City of Kelowna and Okanagan College, highlighting the growing significance of YLW Kelowna International Airport as Canada’s largest municipally-owned and operated airport, and Kelowna’s emerging role as a hub for AI-enabled drone and aerospace innovation.
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FireSwarm, a B.C. company based in Squamish, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Kelowna, and a second MOU with Okanagan College, committing to ongoing collaboration that will grow the company’s operations in the Interior. The announcement was made at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) convention in Vancouver, whose 2026 theme, “Common Good,” reflects the spirit of this aerospace partnership built on shared effort between three sectors working toward the same goal.
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“Innovation and collaboration are key drivers of Kelowna’s growing economy. As home to Canada’s largest municipally owned and operated airport at YLW, we’re proud to foster partnerships that bring together talent, ideas, and opportunity,” says City of Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas. “This partnership represents an exciting step forward, creating the potential to advance wildfire resilience solutions, support high-quality jobs for future generations, and reinforce Kelowna’s reputation as a hub for innovation, investment, and economic growth.”
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Following a devastating wildfire season in the Okanagan, FireSwarm’s wildfire drone innovation is needed now more than ever. In 2025, FireSwarm and the Kelowna Fire Department brought a new approach to wildfire response to Knox Mountain, conducting an Integrated Training Exercise to demonstrate FireSwarm’s automated drone-swarm platform and its potential for wildfire suppression. The test was conducted with observers from Transport Canada, BC Wildfire Service and other leading agencies, and was the first step towards FireSwarm’s partnership with the City. Now, alongside YLW and OC, the group is positioning the region to showcase how technology and systems built for emergency response can also serve broader civilian, sovereign and dual-use needs. At the same time, Kelowna is emerging as a national hub for investment and climate resilience.
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“Partnering with the City of Kelowna and Okanagan College lets FireSwarm grow our presence in a region that has shown itself to be forward-thinking, innovative, and one that knows firsthand what’s at stake when wildfire strikes,” said Alex Deslauriers, FireSwarm Solutions. “We expect this collaboration to create new jobs at YLW and make a meaningful contribution to the Canadian economy. “
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The MOUs build on an established aerospace ecosystem already in place at YLW Kelowna International Airport.
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FireSwarm’s partnership with Okanagan College reflects a joint commitment to develop and launch new programs that would allow aircraft maintenance engineers (AME) to be trained in drone-specific technologies and structures.
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OC is already a leading provider of AME and is actively expanding aerospace-related programs in the Okanagan region. Construction is underway on a new training hangar at YLW that will add new, purpose-built instructional space at the airport. Capital construction of the new facility has been funded through the BPL Legacy Association and the College, and allows OC to plan for new programs directly supporting Kelowna’s growing aerospace sector – including avionics, uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) technologies, and manufacturing.
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